Bermuda Electric Light Company has launched an ebilling campaign to get more customers signed up for electronic billing.

The campaign starting today in celebration of Earth Day culminates in a draw for a $500 Belco gift voucher on May 30. All paperless billing customers at the time of the draw are eligible to win.

Belco president Wayne Caines said: “As we celebrate Earth Day, we are renewing our commitment to sustainability. This is a simple way we can further our goal to reduce the amount of paper we use.”

He encouraged customers who have not signed up for ebills yet to do so.

“By working together, we can reduce our environmental impact and progress our goal of ensuring Belco becomes a more sustainable company,” he said.

Belco is launching the campaign as part of the energy firm’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, with the aim of reducing paper use. Every month, approximately 9,492 bills are printed and mailed. Customers can help to reduce this paper use by switching to ebilling.

“Paper production uses a large amount of energy and water and contributes to climate change,” a spokesman for the firm said. “By opting to receive ebills, customers can help save trees, energy and water and reduce carbon emissions for a more sustainable planet.”

According to the website Ecotricity, the average carbon footprint of an e-mail is 4g CO2 equivalent, which can rise to 19g if it includes an attachment or is a long e-mail. It also depends on the device it was sent from, the data centres that store and facilitate the e-mails, and the device the recipient is using, but it is far less than that of a letter.

In comparison, a standard letter-sized envelope is responsible for about 29g of CO2, taking into account the production of materials, such as paper, envelope, oil and ink, as well as the sending, sorting and distribution of the letter.

Belco said switching to paperless billing is easy. Customers can visit a dedicated page on the Belco website or e-mail info@belco.bm to sign up.